At least 110 residents of Barkedu Township of Quardu Gboni District, Lofa County, have been made homeless, following the washing away of their houses by the Lofa River, which over flooded its bank after torrential rainfall for days in recent time.
According to the Township’s Commissioner, Sumowolu Kante, over 50 houses were washed away by the river, but there has been no death reported due to the flooding.
He said the victims are now displaced and seeking refuge in schools and mosques in the township, since they have nowhere else to go, until the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) can come to their assistance.
Kante told the local media in the county that this is the first time for an incident like this to happen, explaining that the residents of the town have been living there without such a disaster for generations.
Besides Barkedu, there are other residents in some parts of the country who have been affected by flooding during this rainy season, which runs until October.
In recent times, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned the population regarding expected heavy rainfall during the course of this year, warning that it might cause flooding in some parts of the country.
Therefore, it was asking residents to take precautionary measures to safeguard their lives and their properties during this critical weather.
The agency went further that its primary concern is safeguarding public health and the environment, as imminent threat of flooding became more apparent. It has become imperative that Liberians act responsibly and collectively to mitigate potential risks.
EPA then called on the population to stop throwing dirt in the waterways, like disposing of waste or debris in water bodies and drainages, as this not only contaminates the water, but also obstructs natural drainage systems, exacerbating the flooding issue.
